Submitted by
Richard Cooper
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, Or Date Reviewed: December 31, 2004
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
Three years later and still going!
Weaknesses:
Pacific bought GT.
Similar Products Used:
Nothing compares to my sweet, sweet ride. You could call it love, if you wish.
Bike Setup:
Only the best for my sweetie. RaceFace/XTR drivetrain. Custom Marzocchi sliders. Thompson bars, post. Hope Minis. The lightest/strongest wheels you could find, Azonic PTW's on velocity hubs, built 4x by the wheel buddah. Currently running Panaracer Fire 2.1's.
Bottom Line:
This bike is still running, even after every stupid thing I threw at it. No more jumping, no more downhill, no more stair gaps and loading dock drops. I have a whole new bike for that now. This bike is now fine tuned for climbing up the side of a mountain. It is still on the heavy side for a race bike because of the super bomb wheel set and custom built Marzocchi fork (just a tad over 30lb.), but that means it can blast through some terrain that will blow your crappy little SID and ultralight wheels to so much scrap. (I am serious. the wheels were borrowed onto a FR hardtail for some downhilling and jumping. They came off of several runs through rock gardens and casing curbs and 6' drops to flat pavement straight as an arrow. Pinch flats dont count. Contact Multnomah Bike Shop for the bombest wheels you will ever ride.) Until this bike literally falls to pieces beneath me I will ride and race it with pleasure and sneer at the wussies pedaling along on their nice, plush, comfy, light, full suspension XC racing rigs, while i punish my ass and spine on rough traverses and climbs. After my baby dies (anyone who knows a reputable 'taxidermist' should contact me), and after the appropriate mourning period, I suppose I will have to upgrade to an inferior product like an Intense Spyder or a Blur, or a Turner or something like that.
In the meantime, that dumbass you see hiding in the bushes doing something questionable with the ancient blue and yellow ride? That will be me....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeremy Chandler
a Cross Country Rider
from Knoxville, TN Date Reviewed: October 27, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Haw Ridge, Pisgah (NC) trails
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$2100.00
Purchased At:
Warehouse in CA in late 2001
Strengths:
Durability, price, standout paint job (team yellow and blue)you either love or hate it, handles like a dream Tuff as nails
Weaknesses:
None, clearly this bike was not ment to be jumped of anything huge and if you did it would probably break...duh! otherwise best high performance racing/XC frames ever!, if you want to beat something around buy a ruckus they're gret for huckin'=)(got one too) or even better, a huffy and paint it however you like if you think the paint's ugly =)
Similar Products Used:
Nishiki pinnacle, GT LTS2, GT ricochet
Bike Setup:
Fullt XTR 02', avid 1.9 sl brakes/levers, easton EC70 Bar, can creek grips, wtb saddle (stock), time carbon, mavic 517 wheelset, michelin tires, azonic stem, chris king headset, sid SL 100, thompson seatpost....tips scales around 24 lbs good solid stable weight and couls still drop a pound or two easy
Bottom Line:
Awesome bike that has always performed very well. I've beaten the hell out of it wrecking and racing over the past years and it's only asked for more. Only concern is I'm running low on extra derailleur hangars, so if anyone knows where I can get some I would love to hear about it as I love my bike. I believe this bike is best suited for the XC geek who like ot ocassionally bomb and likes a good solid feel on the ocassional let it loose descent, it may not be the lightest but it's definitely the strongest for it's weight.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cliff Ker
a Cross Country Rider
from Chatsworth, CA USA Date Reviewed: May 29, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Mammoth Mountain
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Valley Bicycles, Chatsworth
Strengths:
It was great until the frame cracked.
Weaknesses:
Cracked frame and no warranty help from GT
Bottom Line:
Scratch everything I said before about my Zaskar. It was a great bike until the top tube cracked right at the seat post tube weld. Pacific Cycles/GT wouldn't honor the warranty so I was SOL. I had the guys at the shop transfer the parts to a Gary Fisher Paragon and I have since bought a great Ellsworth Isis. Too bad, as I have a '94 Zaskar that has a blem frame that is still in great condition.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kix Expert
a Cross Country Rider
from Stony Brook, NY USA Date Reviewed: December 25, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Stillwell
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
EBay
Strengths:
Light, great Geometry, responsive, stiff frame
Weaknesses:
the part that... the other part... wait... nah, nothing weak about this frame
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth Sub22, GT Avalanche(96 and 00), Specialized Stumpjumper
Bike Setup:
Zaskar Fram; RS Duke SL Fork; Chris King Headset; XTR Shifters/FD/RD/BB/Crank set; XT Brake levers; Hayes HMX Disc brake set, Sun Rims Disc-O-Jockey Wheelset; Monkey CT2 Low riser bar, EA70 100m 0deg rise stem, XTR seatpost, Selle Italia Centry saddle
Bottom Line:
WOW, what else can I say about good old GT Frames, I ditched my GT avalanche frame and spend a lot of $$ to get an Ellsworth Sub22 frame, and only took me 2 rides before I decided to sell the Sub22 and bite my lips to get another GT Zaskar Frame simply because the Sub 22 was too... not for me, and GT just climbs that much easier, that much faster, that much sweeter...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Cooper
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, OR Date Reviewed: June 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Lewis River Trail, Ape Canyon trail, Falls Creek trail, anything northshore
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
Super light, strong bike. Great geometry and a comfortable cockpit. Climbs like a mountain goat.
Weaknesses:
Tough to keep the front tire on the ground in steep, technical climbs in low gear. Then again, it could be the 130mm travel in the fork.
Similar Products Used:
GT Talera (broken), Mongoose IBOC (ancient), Gary Fisher Tassajara
Bike Setup:
XT drivetrain (soon to be raceface), Azonic A Frame pedals, XT/XTR V brakes (soon to be disc), Marzocchi Z1 MCR (problematic), Azonic Chubby risers and Shorty stem, Velocity disc hubs laced 4-cross to Azonic PTW rims (indestructable, seriously), XT levers and LX shifters (modified with pliers to fit the Chubby bar), and strung with Jagawire just for the goddamn cool factor.
Bottom Line:
I used this bike for urban assault, XC, and downhill before I understood what the frame was built for. It has taken all the 5' urban assault drops, stair gaps, boulder pits and other stupid crap I did to it without complaint. Its now a strictly XC machine and I have gained the skills to really appriciate the bike. I've ridden some other bikes, a Marin, a Fisher, a KHS, and a Homegrown for comparison. Only the Homegrown was close to as nice. Buy this frame and spec it yourself. Worth every penny. Im having fits about finding a 2000 replacement frame when this one finally gives up the ghost, as I am not to impressed by the integrated headset idea.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cliff Ker
a Cross Country Rider
from Chatsworth, California USA Date Reviewed: September 6, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Mammoth Mt. Bike Park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Valley Bicycles, Chatsworth
Strengths:
Everything. It's light, sturdy, responsive, and reliable.
Weaknesses:
I changed the stock pedals and put Shimanos on it.
Bottom Line:
I have put 5,600 miles on this baby in a year and a half and it still rides like a champ. I can't imagine a better bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anthony Procissi
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle Date Reviewed: June 30, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Montlake Bicycles
Strengths:
Weight, stability/geometry, components, speed!
Weaknesses:
Do I own the bike or does the bike own me?
Similar Products Used:
Diamondback Racing Vertex
Bike Setup:
Stock - brimming with XTR, SID rockshock, etc...
Bottom Line:
There was a time not too long ago when the act of laying down 2000 for a bike seemed reserved for fanatics and madmen... then, I met the Zaskar LE. She drew me across the shop from the racks of full suspensions with her clean lines and sharp colors. I test rode it just out of curiosity... You ever see that movie?... Christine... yeah... I went home, I tried to sleep; I went to other shops, rode other bikes; all the while thinking of her. She would not let me go. Had I taken her home and let her live a life of quite luxury... taxing me around the streets of Seattle I would have never realized her value, she was still a madman's choice for value in my eyes. As soon as we got home it started... "let's go to the mountains"... "why aren't we on a trail"... "hey are you going to use me or what?"... "I hate cement"... on and on.. round and round in my head... a ceaseless drone for adventure; we had only been home 5 minutes. I could tell, this was going to be a tumultuous relationship. On the trail every one of those 2000 dollars revealed itself to me, in sharp turns, grips, jumps, and drops. 2000 for a bike became a steal. If you need any convincing on the value of higher end bikes, give this bike a run. If you're in the market for what has to be the finest hard tail bike to ever climb a mountain, then holy god... you have reached the Promised Land.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Chan
a
from Bendigo,Victoria, Australia Date Reviewed: June 13, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Australian Bush
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Chung Yeung Bicycle, Hong Kong
Strengths:
Stiff yet soft, compare to my 97 Zeasker LE. Looks team colour, right size better angle with sloping downtube makes the bike feel smaller. handles great looks strong.
01 SID SL Race Face Next LP GT- Ti BB Easton CT2 Azonic ORC Stem Roox Bar End XTR Full except F/D and cas XT are stronger Chris King Headset 99 Mavic CrossMax Maxxis Tyres
Bottom Line:
I ride a small, at 10.9 kg 22 pounds can't complain
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Chan
a
from Bendigo,Victoria, Australia Date Reviewed: June 13, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Australian Bush
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Chung Yeung Bicycle, Hong Kong
Strengths:
Stiff yet soft, compare to my 97 Zeasker LE. Looks team colour, right size better angle with sloping downtube makes the bike feel smaller. handles great looks strong.
01 SID SL Race Face Next LP GT- Ti BB Easton CT2 Azonic ORC Stem Roox Bar End XTR Full except F/D and cas XT are stronger Chris King Headset 99 Mavic CrossMax Maxxis Tyres
Bottom Line:
I ride a small, at 10.9 kg 22 pounds can't complain
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michel Gerber
a Cross Country Rider
from Zurich, Switzerland Date Reviewed: May 16, 2001
Favorite Trail:
every trail that deserves this name
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
The Bike Store, Zurich
Strengths:
weight, look, geometry
Weaknesses:
none, even the price is ok since you get the best of the best
Similar Products Used:
1997 sts (although a full suspension), full xt, rock shox sid sl, mgura hs 33 hydraulic brakes
Bike Setup:
as seen on the website, so it commes in with full xtr, sid race (watch the color), mavic crossmax ust (tubeless) easton magnesium stem, easton carbon bar and syncros carbon seat post
Bottom Line:
watch out i review the 2001 zaskar team model!!!this bike rules!!! with a frame that lost almost 500 gramms (sorry i am a european guy)it comes even at my size ( i drive the xlarge version) at 10 kilogramms including the pedals. the bike climbs like a mountain goat and the only limiting factor indeed is the riders' strength. downhill it s very safe even at high speed and on difficult single trails you can handle it almost like a trail bike. for a two to three hour session there comes nothing close to a hardtail, however for a marathon i will still use my 1997 fullsuspension sts.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Teodulo Guerrero
a Cross Country Rider
from Pacoima, CA Date Reviewed: May 9, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Mullholand
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Strengths:
Super light frame
Weaknesses:
None that I can think of
Similar Products Used:
Homegrown, M4
Bike Setup:
SID Race forks, Crossmax wheels, Easton CT2 handlebars and seatpost, Titec TI Stem, XTR componentry
Bottom Line:
I was planning on buying an M4 but I'm glad a chose the Zaskar. This is a great feeling bike. It's super light so it's great on long climbs and it's very responsive on fast technical decents. If you want the best Cross Country bike out there, this is the one for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Momma's lil boy
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: December 21, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Santa's Village
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3700.00
Purchased At:
Bike Depot
Strengths:
EVERYTHING. The crankset is amazing and the XTR breaks are really nice. The frame is ULTRA light and very stiff just like all GT bikes.The stem is good.
Weaknesses:
NONE!!! This bike rules!
Similar Products Used:
Stumpjumer M4
Bottom Line:
This bike is one of the best for front suspension. IT HAS AMAZING handling.The stumpjumper M4 is child's play compared to this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Thomas
a Cross Country Rider
from Malaysia Date Reviewed: September 16, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
It is very light, fast and look cool. I like the Yellow and blue Team color.
Weaknesses:
Are you kidding???
Similar Products Used:
GT Zaskar 00'
Bike Setup:
Stock.
Bottom Line:
It is simply the best looking Hardtail bike. The frame is Easton's 6061-T6. It is the same bike that the GT racing Team are using, It say best how good is this Zaskar LE is. Thank you GT for a Bike that cool. Well Done.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Freds Dad
a Cross Country Rider
from Horizontal, Axis Date Reviewed: March 8, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Fred sucks
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Hi this is fred's dad. Fred sucks and I just beat him for about an hour and he is crying like a little baby now. He is wrong, the Zaskar is a fantastic bike with a strong and light frame and a good set of components.
Weaknesses:
the price
Similar Products Used:
stump jumper, giant xtc ds1
Bike Setup:
99' Zaskar LE, Easton monkeylite bars, raceface stem and crank. chris kings with wtb laser beams. xtr drive train.
Bottom Line:
Fantastic bike, definately one of the nicest hard tails out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fred
a Weekend Warrior
from fredtown, fl, usa Date Reviewed: March 5, 2000
Favorite Trail:
fred's trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Weaknesses:
butass ugly dont like gt
Similar Products Used:
trek
Bottom Line:
dont buy ...can buy better
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lance Belanger
a Cross Country Rider
from North Bay, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: March 2, 2000
Favorite Trail:
dead rabbit trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Excellent frame structure, supper light weight, great controle over the bike.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
raleigh, Schwinn Homegron
Bike Setup:
Rock Shox juddy 100's, XTR/ Race Face(graphite composite crank). Hayes disc.
Bottom Line:
This Bike rocks. I've tried the rest and finally I found the best. The extra money you spend on this rather that the homegron is made up for in performance. Now I beleive people who say nothing rides like a GT bike. The frame is the best even if you can't afford the hole bike at least buy the frame you can put anything on that frame to have a sweet ride from shimano A to XTR.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
What's New
»
BEST OF MTBR - Check out the highest rated bikes, parts, & gear!
»
LED BIKE LIGHT SHOOTOUT 3 - We test all the newest products and latest light and battery technology in this comprehensive guide»
$
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
